The Pistol Formation and Why It Should be Euthanized

[GopherHole]

Re: The Pistol Formation and Why It Should be Euthanized

I'm no expert either, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express. Nevada executes it well because they have dual threat QBs, the Huskers have used it effectively because they have a run first and throw only if no other option exists QB.

What I am pleased about is that we have had difficulties being creative offensively for a few years. Incorporating the pistol into our offense had potential to be creative, it just hasn't matched our talents.

[jackmd]

Re: The Pistol Formation and Why It Should be Euthanized

I'm no expert either, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express. Nevada executes it well because they have dual threat QBs, the Huskers have used it effectively because they have a run first and throw only if no other option exists QB.

What I am pleased about is that we have had difficulties being creative offensively for a few years. Incorporating the pistol into our offense had potential to be creative, it just hasn't matched our talents.

Similar feelings for me. SDSU doesn't have the personnel to excel in a pistol type set. This years results help to confirm that. I'm not saying the Jacks would be more successful in a traditional under center/shotgun offense but I don't think they'd be any less effective.

[EQguy]

Re: The Pistol Formation and Why It Should be Euthanized

You make a perfect point for it doc. Regardless of any lift in effectiveness it is another formation a defense has to prepare for. The pistol has not been used exclusively just as a change up. One could argue convincingly that the pistol is not the problem, its how it has been used.

[mmiller_34]

Re: The Pistol Formation and Why It Should be Euthanized

I despise the pistol as much as anyone else on this board. I think it is pointless. At the beginning of this thread we get a great explanation of the rationale for running the pistol--combine the shotgun and single back formations and form one formation with many threats. Football is more complex than that.

However, I completely understand why the coaches have stayed with it throughout the season, and Its simple, they've been practicing it since spring. The team has committed countless hours practicing and executing the pistol. They haven't been practicing the familiar I-sets that we saw the past few years. If they were to completely scrap the playbook and start over with the old playbook we would most certainly run into a plague of pre-snap penalties (illegal formation, motion pentalies, etc).. The pistol has not worked, that is obvious. There is no doubt that the coaches have seen this too. We have two games left. Why change it now, it wouldn't matter.

I expect the coaches to restructure the playbook in the winter and come up with an offense that will promote a balanced offense. I hope they ditch the pistol...after the season is over.

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: The Pistol Formation and Why It Should be Euthanized

The real question is why we decided it would be a good offense when our number 1 & 2 QB's are not threats at all to run. There was no mystery coming into the season about the skill sets held by each QB.

[da_coach]

Re: The Pistol Formation and Why It Should be Euthanized

I don't want to become known as "the pistol lover" or anything, but to be fair.

Passing Offense: (since Sumner took over)
Illinois State: 194 yards (first game, on the road)
Indiana State: 305 yards 1 td
Youngstown State: 345 yards 4 td's
Northern Iowa: 354 yards 2 td's
NDSU: 286 yards 1 td
Missouri State: 377 yards 4 td's
Southern Illinois: 328 yards 4 td's

Some may say we are passing because we can't run. This is probably true. But we aren't running the ball well out of any formations. It's not just the pistol.

In fact, the long run Zenner broke in the 4th quarter when we were trying to run the ball was out of the pistol. The 3 successive plays which were all stuffed for negative yardage, were run out of a traditional two TE set with the QB under center.

We are passing the ball better than ever, against better teams than ever, with a redshirt freshman qb, and an O line that has struggled.

Sumner can run a bit, not a lot, but a bit and he showed that on Saturday. Kline is able to run as well (go watch highlights of the young man).

Does anyone see the irony of years of complaining about the "boring" offense, relying on the running game too much, and lack of production out of the passing game, and now we are passing the ball, and we complain because we're not running well?

Passing yardage this season is up 294 yards per game from 203 yards a year ago.
Points per game this season is 23.8, a year ago it was 21.3.

And this is all while playing a difficult schedule, and possibly our easiest conference opponent yet to play.

Yes, we're having problems running the ball. I don't think you can lay that all on the pistol set. And, if you do... then you have to give the pistol credit for improving our passing game.

There, I've said my piece. I'm done on this subject.

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: The Pistol Formation and Why It Should be Euthanized

We don't really throw out of the pistol though. Our best throwing plays happen when Sumner is in shotgun, flanked by a RB with 3 or 4 WR spread out.

[KUlawJack]

Re: The Pistol Formation and Why It Should be Euthanized

We don't really throw out of the pistol though. Our best throwing plays happen when Sumner is in shotgun, flanked by a RB with 3 or 4 WR spread out.

That is what I have noticed as well.

And I do care that we can't run the ball effectively. If we could, we wouldn't have been in such a precarious position in the 3rd quarter on Saturday. I love that we can really throw it, that's great. However, being able to grind it out when necessary will undoubtedly be a focal point of the off season. Additionally, while I do love that we can throw it, I think we should just stick with letting the QB do it rather than try to run a wide receiver reverse pass into gale force winds.

[da_coach]

Re: The Pistol Formation and Why It Should be Euthanized

We don't really throw out of the pistol though. Our best throwing plays happen when Sumner is in shotgun, flanked by a RB with 3 or 4 WR spread out.

I know I said I was done with this subject, but that's simply not true.

I watched the highlights of the SIU game this week... both of Rollin's and Moss's, first TD came out of the pistol. also one of the long TD's to Moss against Mo. State was too.

This is simply not true.

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: The Pistol Formation and Why It Should be Euthanized

I know I said I was done with this subject, but that's simply not true.I watched the highlights of the SIU game this week... both of Rollin's and Moss's, first TD came out of the pistol. also one of the long TD's to Moss against Mo. State was too.This is simply not true.

I didn't say we never did. But the majority of our throws come out of shotgun. And I don't even have a problem with pistol. I just prefer shotty.

[da_coach]

Re: The Pistol Formation and Why It Should be Euthanized

Just thought I'd bring this thread up from the dead, because I heard Trent Dilfer this morning...raving about the pistol, and the zone read, and how it isn't going away.

And then I remembered this thread, and was wondering if opinions changed at all...Zenner had a tremendous year running the ball...and we still used the pistol... alot.

[goon]

Re: The Pistol Formation and Why It Should be Euthanized

Just thought I'd bring this thread up from the dead, because I heard Trent Dilfer this morning...raving about the pistol, and the zone read, and how it isn't going away.

And then I remembered this thread, and was wondering if opinions changed at all...Zenner had a tremendous year running the ball...and we still used the pistol... alot.

Maybe he ran so well this year because we used the pistol a lot. teams who do it right sure seems to work for them. but you gotta have a QB who is a threat to run it too.